Optimal Locations of U.S. Fast-Charging Stations for Long-Distance Trips by Battery Electric Vehicles

Due to environmental and energy challenges, promoting battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is a popular policy for many countries. However, lack of fast recharging infrastructure and limitations on BEV range moderate their purchase and use. It is important to have a well-designed charging station network, so this paper uses U.S. long-distance travel data to place charging stations in order to maximize long-distance trip completions. Each scenario assumes a certain number of charging stations (from 50 to 250, across the U.S.) and vehicle range (from 60 mi to 250 mi).The problem is formulated as a mixed integer program, and a modified flow-refueling location model (FRLM) model is solved via a branch-and-bound algorithm. Results reveal that all electric ranges (AER) longer than 250 miles offers little benefit to U.S. travelers, with station count offering impressive results. For example, at AERs of 200 and 300 miles, 93% and 99% of the nation’s long-distance personal trips can be completed, with just 100 charging stations placed strategically. With a 60-mile AER, only 42% can be completed. The 60-mile-AER percentage varies between 31% and 65%, as one increases station count from just 50 stations to 250 stations. At least 100-mile range BEVs may be needed, to avoid long-distance-trip issues for the great majority of U.S. households, until more fast-charging stations can be added to the nation’s network.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADB30 Standing Committee on Transportation Network Modeling.
• Authors:
  • He, YaWei
  • Kockelman, Kara
  • Perrine, Kenneth A
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2018-1-7 to 2018-1-11
• Date: 2018

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 6p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Electric vehicle charging; Electric vehicles; Infrastructure; Location; Mixed integer programming; Optimization; Vehicle range
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Terminals and Facilities; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01658355
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 18-00710
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 29 2018 10:27AM